SIR Michael Fallon will today announce a £1billion boost for the Navy to ensure Britain's warships are ready for the country's post-Brexit global trading future.

The Defence Secretary will tell the Conservative Conference in Manchester the cash will be invested in a series of maintenance contracts to ensure vessels including the two new Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers and Type 26 and 31 frigates spend more time at sea.

Ministers are seeking to increase the availability of warships to protect trade routes after the UK quits the EU and increases commerce with new trading partners around the world.

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Ministers are seeking to increase the availability of warships to protect trade routes

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As threats intensify, only under the Conservatives will Britain be a global leader in defence

Sir Michael Fallon

Speaking last night ahead of his conference speech today, Sir Michael said: “This new deal will support the Royal Navy as we prepare to welcome two huge new aircraft carriers, two new classes of frigates and new support ships.

"We are growing the Royal Navy and ensuring that our warships will spend more time out at sea defending Britain's interests.

“As threats intensify, only under the Conservatives will Britain be a global leader in defence and by investing in our armed forces - through our rising defence budget - we are helping keeping people safe at home while working with allies abroad."

HMS Queen Elizabeth: Royal Navy flagship docks in Portsmouth for the first time

Wed, August 16, 2017

Crowds flock to the shoreline to see the historical sight of the Royal Navy's new flagship, the HMS Queen Elizabeth, dock for the first time at Portsmouth Naval Base

The new arrangement will bring together separate support agreements for individual ship types under a single, more efficient and more manageable model.

Worth around £1 billion, the series of contracts will support over a thousand jobs in the UK, including at BAE Systems and Babcock in Portsmouth, Bristol, Devonport and on the Clyde, as well as Thales in Crawley and AGI Ltd in Poole.